In June/July 1991,
I attempted to create an interface
standard for data compression algorithms. The benefit of an interface
standard would be that it would be easy to interchange different data
compression algorithms within programs. Algorithms conforming to
the interface standard could be swapped with others in a matter of
seconds.

I create a draft standard and posted it to
comp.compression. This generated quite a lot of heat
because the standard seemed to some people to be a fait-accompli, and
because the draft allowed only one-shot processing of memory blocks
rather than the manipulation of multiply-invoked compression algorithm
instances. But as a result of the discussion I got some very good
feedback and was able to produce a second, more comprehensive draft.

Unfortunately, the standard was never completed or adopted
because, for one reason or another, I didn't follow through with it.

The defunct standard draft might make for interesting reading
for anyone involved in data compression, interfacing, or standards.
Perhaps one day, it might even form the basis of a new interface
standard.

Original Documents

The orginal documents are available as pure text files in
the "original" compression FTP directory. old_dc_stan_spec
corresponds to V1 above. old_dc_stan_stream corresponds
to V2 above.